Wave-motor



E L. OSBORN.

WAVE MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. I8, 1918.

Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEETI INVENTOR 35.06502 75,

a no 2 2 1 .1 E

E L. OSBORN,

WAVE MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 8, 1.91s.

1 ,3 1 4, 47 Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

, ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

E LEMUEAL OSBORN, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

WAVE-MOTOR.

Application filed October 18, 1918.

7 '0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, E LEMUEAL OSBORN, citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented certaln new and useful Improvements in Wave-Motors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in wave motors and has for its principal object to provide an improved and novel wave motor device in which intermittent power of the waves is stored and transmitted continuously therefrom; in a device of the class described to provide a novel spring power storage means together with means for feeding out the stored power continuously.

Other objects will appear as my invention is more fully explained in the following specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out 1n the appended claim.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan v ew of my device. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of same with parts omitted. Fig. 3 1s a sectional elevation taken along line a -6U of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings numeral 1 indicates a frame work upon which the device itself is mounted and which is positioned over the water. A float 2 is positioned below the frame and receives the lifting action of the waves. Shafts 3, 1 and 5 are mounted in bearings transversely the frame work 1 and are in parallel relationship to each other with the shaft 4 directly above shaft 3. Shafts 3 and 5 are each connected to the float 2 through similar gear treads which include gear wheels 6 which mesh with pinion 7 Pinions 7 are attached to shafts 4 and 5 while the gears 6 are se cured to shafts 8 to which are also secured ratchet wheels 9. Racks 10 are in cooperation with opposite faces of ratchet wheels 9 and are pivotally secured at their lower ends to float 2. It will be understood that the racks have their teeth running in reverse directions on opposite sides of the wheels 9 so that only one rack acts upon the wheel during the upward movement of the float and the other rack acts upon the wheel during the downward stroke, thus giving the ratchet wheel a continuous motion in one direction. I employ novel means for maintaining the cob eration between the racks and wheels whic l r embodies links 11 pivoted to the frame 1 and housing the back edge of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

Serial No. 258,700.

the racks. The upper or free ends of the lmks 11 are held together by means of a spring 12 so that the racks are at all times yieldingly held in contact with the wheels 9 and when it is necessary for one of the racks to slip past the wheel on its idle stroke the link 11 yields sulliciently to permit this slippage. The shafts 3 and 4: and 5 are all geared together at their opposite ends by means of gear wheels 14, 15 and 16, respectively. It Wlll be understood that the gear wheels 14, 15 and 16 are loose upon their respective shafts and that each of the said wheels is provided with a series of pawls 17 which cooperate with ratchet wheels 18, one of which is also loosely mounted upon each of shafts 3, 4, and 5. A tapering helical spring 19 is mounted upon each of the shafts 3, 1 and 5, the latter two of which are right handed while the former is wound left handed. One end of each of the springs 19 1s secured to one of the ratchet wheels 18 while the other ends are secured to collars 20 which in turn are secured to the shafts 3, 4:, and 5. It will thus be seen that as the shafts 3, 4, and 5 are rotated that they wind up the springs 19 by revolving the collars 20 while the ratchet wheels 18 and wheels 15 remain stationary under the influence of band brakes 21. 22 and 23, respectively, as will be more fully explained later. The band brakes are attached to levers 24, 25 and 26, respectively, which in turn are socured to brake rods 27, 28 and 29, respectively. The brake rods are secured to pistons (not shown) within cylinders 30, 31, and 32, respectively. The cylinders are dash pot type brakes and each contains a spring 33 which normally holds the brake in released position. It will be understood that each of the brake devices is arrangul to open under a different water pressure which is supplied to the brake cylinders from a pump 34, as will be explained later.

The pump 34 is of the two cylinder type and is operated by a crank shaft 35 upon which is mounted a pinion 36 which meshes with a gear 37. The gear 37 is secured to a jack shaft 38 which is mounted upon bearings upon the frame 1 and upon which is (not shown). Auxiliary pipes l2 lead from one of the pipes ll to each of the brake cylinders 30, 31 and 32 so that Whenever the pressure of the water is insufficient to hold the spring 33 within the brake cylinder, the brake will be released on that particular spring, thus permitting the stored energy to be transmitted to the pump thus raising the pressure. As previously stated, the brake cylinders are set to release the brakes at different ressures so that energy stored in one of the springs will be used first in every case after which an additional drop in pressure of the pumpwill release an additional spring. I

iVhile applicant is aware that tide motor and pumping devices are old art he believes that his device embodies novelty and flexibility in the means of storing energy in order that the intermittent power of the tide and'wave actions may be stored and consumed at a uniform rate at a later time. In this connection special consideration is given to the arrangement of springs and to the m'eans for holding the racks 10 against the ratchet wheels. 7

WVhile I have, shown a particular form of embodiment of my invention I am aware that many minor changes will suggest themselves to others skilled in the art without "departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and I therefore desire to avoid being limited to the exact form shown and described. 7

Having described my invention, what I work, power transmission means interinediate the said heat and said shafts, whereby the reciprocating motion of the float is con verted into rotary motion of the shafts, ratchet wheels loosely mounted upon the said shafts, gear Wheels loosely mounted upon the said shafts adjacent the said ratchet wheels and geared one with the other, pawls secured to the said gear wheels and cooperating with the said ratchet Wheels, whereby the ratchet wheels may move in one direction lndependent 'of'the said gear wheels, coil spring means upoir each of the said shafts and secured at one end to the said shafts and at the other ends to the said ratchet wheels, whereby power transmitted to the shafts is stored in the spring and transmitted through the ratchet wheel to the said coils, brahes mounted upon the said shafts and secured to the saidg'ear wheels, brake cylinders connected to the said brakes, umps geared to the first mentioned gear wheels,- pipes connecting the pumps to the brake cylinders, whereby'whenthe ipressure of the pumped water drops below a predetermined pressure the brakes are released. In testimony whereof I aflix my slgnature.

n LEMUEAL osnonn.

Copies 0? this patentmay be obtained for fi've cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

